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Loudness targets reference
Delivery targets for podcasts, audiobooks, streaming and broadcast, checked against each publisher's own documentation. Where a platform publishes no number, the table says so.
| Standard or platform | Integrated target | Tolerance | Peak ceiling | Other limits | Notes and source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple PodcastsPodcast | −16 LKFS | ±1 dB | True peak ≤ −1 dBFS (BS.1770-5) | AAC preferred, MP3 accepted. Mono 64–128 kbps, stereo 128–256 kbps at 44.1 or 48 kHz. | Official recommendation. Apple Podcasts for Creators |
| Mono podcast files (convention)Podcast | −19 LUFS | – | – | Plays like −16 LUFS stereo when the mono file is played on two speakers (about 3 LU louder). | Popularised by Google's Assistant loudness guidance, now deprecated. A common convention, not an AES recommendation. Google Assistant audio loudness (deprecated) |
| Spotify podcastsPodcast | None published | – | – | Uploads in MP3, M4A or WAV, mono or stereo. | Spotify has not published a loudness target for podcast episodes. Spotify for Creators |
| ACX / Audible audiobooksAudiobook | No LUFS target. RMS −23 to −18 dB | Range | Peak ≤ −3 dB (type not specified; ACX Check measures sample peak) | Noise floor ≤ −60 dB RMS. MP3 192 kbps or higher, CBR, 44.1 kHz, no joint stereo. Max 120 minutes per file. 1–5 s of room tone at head and tail. | Official requirements. ACX Audio Submission Requirements |
| Spotify music (playback normalization)Streaming | −14 LUFS (Normal, default). Loud −11, Quiet −19 | Not stated | Gain increases leave 1 dB of true-peak headroom | Spotify advises mastering at −14 LUFS with true peak below −1 dBTP, or below −2 dBTP if the master is louder than −14 LUFS. | Applies to music playback, not podcast uploads. Spotify for Artists: loudness normalization |
| Spotify audio adsStreaming | −16 LUFS | ±1.5 LU | Not stated | 192–320 kbps, 44.1 kHz, stereo. | Ad creatives only. Spotify Advertising audio ad specs |
| YouTubeVideo | No official target | – | – | Recommended upload audio: AAC-LC or Opus at 48 kHz. "Stable volume" is on by default for viewers. | −14 LUFS is commonly reported, not an official specification. YouTube recommended upload encoding |
| Amazon Music, Deezer, TidalStreaming | None published | – | – | Loudness figures circulating online for these services are not published by them. | No official specification found. |
| Amazon Alexa skills and flash briefingsVoice | −14 LUFS average | Rejected below −19 or above −9 LUFS | True peak ≤ −2 dBFS | – | Official developer guidance. Amazon Alexa: normalizing loudness |
| AES TD1008 (2021), internet streamingStreaming | Speech −18 LUFS. Music: track −16, album −14 | Upper tolerance +1 LU for speech (dialogue-measured) | ≤ −1 dBTP at the codec input | Keep integrated loudness above −20 LUFS. Notes that a mono file played on two channels measures 3 LU higher. | Superseded by AES77-2023, whose figures we have not verified. AES TD1008 |
| AES TD1004 (2015), streamingStreaming | −20 to −16 LUFS | – | ≤ −1.0 dBTP | Short-form: maximum short-term loudness no more than 5 LU above the target. | Superseded by TD1008. AES TD1004 |
| EBU R 128 (V5, 2023)Broadcast | −23.0 LUFS | ±1.0 LU only where the target is not practically achievable (e.g. live). ±0.2 LU for QC measurement | ≤ −1 dBTP | No maximum loudness range; LRA is not recommended for programmes under 1 minute. | European TV and radio production. EBU R 128 |
| EBU R 128 s1 (short-form, adverts)Broadcast | −23.0 LUFS | ±0.2 LU (QC) | ≤ −1 dBTP | Maximum short-term loudness ≤ −18.0 LUFS. | Content up to about 2 minutes. EBU R 128 s1 |
| EBU R 128 s2 (streaming)Streaming | −23.0 LUFS; interim distribution level −20.0 to −16.0 LUFS | – | ≤ −1 dBTP (production) | Broadcasters are asked to move to −23 LUFS once playback devices allow. | Broadcaster streaming services. EBU R 128 s2 |
| ATSC A/85 (US television)Broadcast | −24 LKFS (dialogue anchor for long-form) | About ±2 dB measurement tolerance; do not target the edges | Below −2 dBTP | Streaming annex: −23 to −27 LKFS. | Current revision A/85:2026-07. US FCC rules still cite A/85:2013 (same targets). ATSC A/85:2026-07 |
| Free TV Australia OP-59Broadcast | −24 LKFS | ±1 LU | ≤ −2 dBTP | – | Australian free-to-air television. Free TV Australia OP-59 |
| Netflix (Sound Mix Specifications v1.6)Video | −27 LKFS, dialogue-gated | ±2 LU | ≤ −2 dBTP | −24 LKFS ±2 LU when less than 15% of the programme is dialogue. | Read from an archived copy; the live specification may have changed. |
No entries match. Clear the filter to see every target.
Values checked against each publisher's own documentation on 23 October 2026. "LUFS" and "LKFS" are the same unit. Platforms change their guidance from time to time, so confirm the current specification before an important delivery.
LUFS, RMS and true peak: what each one measures
LUFS (loudness)
Loudness Units relative to Full Scale, defined in ITU-R BS.1770-5. The signal is K-weighted so that frequencies count roughly as much as we hear them, averaged in 400 ms blocks, and gated so silence and very quiet passages do not drag the average down. Because it tracks perceived loudness, it is what streaming platforms and broadcasters normalize to. Measure any file with the LUFS meter.
RMS (average level)
The root mean square of the samples: a plain average of signal power with no frequency weighting and no gating. Pauses count, and a bass-heavy recording reads higher than it sounds. ACX still specifies audiobooks in RMS (−23 to −18 dB), so use the ACX check for those rather than a LUFS figure. There is no official conversion between the two.
True peak (dBTP)
The highest point of the waveform after it is reconstructed between samples, measured with at least four times oversampling. It can be higher than the highest sample (the sample peak, in dBFS), and it is what MP3 and AAC encoders and playback devices actually have to handle. That is why delivery specifications set the ceiling in dBTP.
Putting it into practice
Choose the row that matches where your audio is going, measure your file, and adjust the gain: the gain calculator shows how much and whether a limiter is needed. LufsReady's delivery presets master to these targets automatically, and the pricing page explains how minutes work.
Frequently asked questions
Which target should I use for a podcast?
Is −14 LUFS the YouTube or Spotify standard?
What is the difference between LUFS and LKFS?
Why do so many specifications ask for −1 or −2 dBTP?
Master it to spec automatically
Upload a recording, pick Apple Podcasts, ACX, EBU R 128 or your own target, and download a file that meets it, with a before-and-after report. New accounts get 60 free minutes after confirming their email.